An Unending Darkness
by Megitsune
Summary: A string of murders in Kyoto force Aoshi and Misao to go on a hunt for the killer...
1. One Fine Day

#  Chapter 1: One Fine Day

  
  
Note: As usual, standard disclaimers apply. All the Rurouni Kenshin characters do not belong to me. They are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Sony, Jump comics, Media Blasters, and all those other people who are responsbile for bringing us Rurouni Kenshin. I am merely borrowing them for a short time.  
  
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"Hikaru-chan! Hotaru-chan! Where are you?" Hideyoshi Eboshi stood up from her kneeling position and tossed down the rag she had been using to wipe the floor with a snort of annoyance. Stomping over to a pair of paper doors, she looked out into the small garden surrounding the Hideyoshi home. The flame of anger in Eboshi's eyes died as she spied her two 4-year old daughters tossing a ball back and forth delightedly. With a sigh she tugged on the scarf keeping her hair in place, allowing the chestnut-colored locks to fall freely down her back.

"Hikaru! Hotaru! Come here!" she called, stepping outside. Two identical cherubic faces turned to look at her in surprise before running over to their mother. Eboshi had to bite back a fond smile. With their dark hair and bright green eyes, the twin girls reminded her so much of their father. Unfortunately, both Hikaru and Hotaru would never know the man whom they resembled so closely, for he had died in an accident just before the girls were born.

Suddenly both mother and daughters were distracted by cheerful from the far side of the garden. The two girls rushed forward to unlatch the gate, their mother hurriedly trailing after them just in time to see the toddlers let in a young girl with a woven basket hung over one arm.

shouted Hikaru excitedly seconds before she hurled herself at their guest, almost causing her to drop the basket. Her twin sister immediately followed suit, not wanting to be left out of the excitement. The two girls energetically dragged Misao into the house, barely giving her time to hand the food-filled basket to Eboshi.

What brings you here, Misao-chan? asked Eboshi with a welcoming smile. Makimachi Misao's face broke into a grin, her blue eyes brightening considerably.

Jiya sent me over to see how you and your father were doing. He would have come himself, but he and Aoshi-sama had some business over on the other side of town. And of course they refused to let me come along. With a disgruntled snort Misao tossed her long braid over one shoulder and rolled her eyes in disgust as she followed Eboshi into the living room.

Why don't you come in and have some tea, Misao-chan? I'm sure Father would be happy to see you too. Eboshi led her young guest to a low table and set down the heavy basket while motioning for everyone to take a seat before bustling off into the kitchen. She returned moments later with a pot of steaming hot tea and found Misao sitting cross-legged on the floor with the twins each scrambling for more space on her lap.

My father was just talking about you the other day, she continued as she set out the cups and poured. He was wondering where you've been lately.

How is Hideyoshi-ojiisan? asked the young girl before taking a sip from her steaming cup. Is he feeling any better?

He has his good and bad days, but that's to be expected. We finally convinced him to get some rest for the afternoon, but I'm sure he'd be glad to see you.

Come! Come! shouted the two girls excitedly, who practically shot out of Misao's lap and proceeded to drag her towards the rear of the home and a room hidden behind another set of doors. Quietly, Misao slid the doors open and poked her head cautiously inside to keep from disturbing the room's occupant.

Now don't lurk in doorways, called out a gruff voice from inside. Come in, Misao-chan. Misao quickly ushered the two little girls through the doorway and watched with a smile as they immediately headed towards an elderly old man sitting behind a low table with a calligraphy brush in his hand. As the twins found a comfortable position in their grandfather's lap, Misao took a seat across the table and watched Hideyoshi Shou give each of the girls an affectionate pat on the head.

Then Shou turned his sharp gaze on the young girl in front of him. His clear brown eyes twinkled as he gave Misao a thorough inspection, missing nothing despite his increasing age. Amazing how much she looks like her grandmother, mused the old man silently. Giving his beard a thoughtful tug with two fingers, he asked, Well Misao-chan, what brings you here to visit this old man today?

Misao smiled in answer. You're not old, Hideyoshi-ojiisan! You're the same age as Jiya, and he seems to have no trouble chasing around women less than half his age! The annoyance was plain to see on her face, but so was the affection the young girl felt for the man everyone knew as . Shou swallowed a laugh as the young girl continued. Anway, since we haven't visited in a while, Jiya sent me over with some food from the Aoiya. He wanted to come himself, but he and Aoshi-sama are off on some business today.

A small grin lifted the corners of Shou's mouth. So have you managed to snag that young man yet? Or are you still working on it?

Misao's face flamed bright red in embarrassment, causing Shou to break into gales of laughter. Not quite understanding but wanting the join in the fun, the two girls began to giggle behind their hands.

Well, well. Invite your okashira over next time, Misao-chan. Tell Aoshi that I would like to have a word with him.

Misao nodded. Yes, of course. But you know, he basically ignores me most of the time so I don't know if he'll want to accompany me.

Oh, come now. I've never known your family to be a bunch of quitters.

Of course not! gasped Misao indignantly as she unconsciously sat up straighter. I'm a Makimachi, and we never give up!

Shou slapped his hand on the table and chuckled in approval. That's a girl! You know, I first joined the Oniwabanshu when your grandfather wasn't even okashira yet. You remind me of him, Misao-chan; hot-headed and quite volatile, but with an even bigger heart to match. He'd be proud of you.

Misao's blue eyes widened in surprise. Do you really think so?

The elderly man nodded.

Thank you, Hideyoshi-ojiisan. That means a lot to me. With a quick glance outside Misao sighed and gave an apologetic smile. I'm so sorry, but I really have to leave now. I promised Omasu-san that I'd help out at the Aoiya later this evening.

Hideyoshi waved his hand towards the door. Go on, Misao-chan. And don't forget to come visit again, understand?

Misao nodded, her drowned out by the two twins' cries of delight. After a quick bow, the young ninja exited the room with the little girls following not far behind. 

As Misao entered the main room, Eboshi appeared and gave her daughters a gentle push on each of their backs. Come on you two, its time to wash up for dinner. Why don't you wait for me in the kitchen while I see Misao-chan out?

Bye Misao-neechan! called out Hikaru over her shoulder as she headed back towards the kitchen. Hotaru smiled and waved before chasing after her sister.

As soon as the girls were out of earshot, Eboshi let out a weary sigh. Those two will definitely turn my hair gray.

Misao laughed as the two walked through the Hideyoshi's small garden, stopping at the wooden gate. Thank you so much for the tea, Eboshi-san. Please stop by the Aoiya when you have time, I'm sure Omasu-san and Okon-san would love to see you again.

Eboshi nodded. Say hello to everyone for me, too.

Of course! I'd better get going, so I'll see you later! called out Misao before taking off through the busy Kyoto streets and disappearing into the crowd.

As Eboshi locked the gate and walked back through the gardens, she noticed a peculiar silence had settled around her. Approaching the front door on light feet, she carefully slid the paper doors open and took a silent step inside. A strange, eerie feeling sent shivers down her spine, and Eboshi suddenly realized that she was being watched. Making her way to the kitchen, she gripped the tanto hidden in the folds of her kimono more tightly and tried to calm her nerves. The situation wasn't right, and all of her ninja instincts were screaming a warning. Bursting into the kitchen, she hoped to see her children happily playing inside. However, the gruesome sight that greeted her caused Eboshi's eyes to widen in horror. But before even a scream could escape her lips, cold steel pierced her back and she collapsed onto the floor.

  
  
  
  



	2. To Fight for Justice

#  Chapter 2: To Fight for Justice

  
  
Note: As usual, standard disclaimers apply. All the Rurouni Kenshin characters do not belong to me. They are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Sony, Jump comics, Media Blasters, and all those other people who are responsible for bringing us Rurouni Kenshin. I am merely borrowing them for a short time.  
  
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"Come on, Aoshi-sama! I promised Hideyoshi-ojiisan I would bring you for a visit!" A petite figure trotted along the crowded road excitedly, a few steps ahead of a tall man clad in a dark ninja uniform who silently followed behind. Though his handsome face remained expressionless, the usually inscrutable blue-grey eyes warmed considerably as he watched Misao's antics. She had already run ahead and was impatiently hopping from one foot to another waiting for him to catch up.

"Misao!" he called. "Stop running, you'll fall and hurt yourself."

Misao sighed, but stopped and turned to give the former okashira a bubbly grin. "Whatever you say, Aoshi-sama. But if we're late, you'll have to explain it to Hideyoshi-ojiisan."

With a short nod, Shinomori Aoshi continued walking as Misao fell into step beside him, slowing her breakneck pace to a more sedate one. A quarter hour later, Aoshi and Misao stood at the gates in front of the Hideyoshi home. Misao stopped and stared at the front door, her head cocked to one side. Something wasn't quite right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The strange silence that permeated the normally boisterous household disturbed her. Turning to the somber man at her side, Misao noticed the hesitation in Aoshi's movements as he suddenly became very still, his penetrating gaze narrowing with suspicion. With a shake of her head, Misao continued to scan the front of the house, searching for the source of her unease. And then it finally hit her.

"Aoshi-sama," she whispered furiously under her breath. "There's something wrong; it's too quiet here. Where are the twins? And look, the gate is open."

As if to emphasize her point, she reached out to poke the wooden gate in front of them which led into the small garden. It swung open with a loud creak, causing Misao to grimace as the sound grated on her ears in the thick silence.

"Eboshi-san would never be careless enough to leave the gate unlocked," she stated in a quiet but emphatic voice. A pair of turquoise eyes met blue-gray ones, and a silent understanding passed between the two ninjas. Giving her a quick but gentle push, Aoshi positioned himself in front of Misao.

"Stay behind me," he instructed under his breath. With a few quick steps he flew over the fence and landed inside the gardens in one smooth movement. Misao was close on his heels, and the two cautiously approached the front door. After a quick look around, Aoshi entered the house and began a meticulous search until he found himself standing in front of the last room left unexamined - the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and slipped through, conscious of Misao's presence behind him. What he saw stopped him cold as he grimly took in the scene before him.

The floor was splattered with red. Two tied up little girls lay side by side in a corner, the state of the corpses clearly showing that they had not died an easy death. Aoshi grimaced as she saw that both their faces were covered with disfiguring bruises, indicating that they had been severely beaten. A woman lay face down in front of the doorway in a pool of blood with a katana piercing her back, the chestnut hair clearly identifying her as Eboshi. Hideyoshi's body was in the center of the room, a pair of kodachi on the floor next to his lifeless hands.

"No," gasped Misao in a choked voice. Aoshi turned back and saw that she was blinking rapidly, her chest rising and falling in labored breaths as she fought to take in air. And then the tight reins she had been keeping on her emotions snapped.

"No!!!" she screamed again, collapsing to her knees as silent tears coursed down her face. Her body rocked back and forth but she made no other sound. Aoshi knelt beside her worriedly, not taking his eyes off the gruesome scene before them. His hands clenched, and after a moment's hesitation, he pulled Misao into his arms as she continued her violent sobbing. The tears fell unchecked as she raised her head, and blue grief-stricken eyes met Aoshi's in anger and confusion.

"Who would do something so horrible?" she asked in a thin voice. Aoshi shook his head, his own eyes blazing with silent fury as Misao continued to cry against his chest.

"I don't know," he replied, the evenness of his tone belying the growing rage he felt. It was one thing to attack two seasoned Oniwabanshu fighters, but murdering two young children in cold blood was truly unforgivable. "But we'll find out, and he will definitely pay for his crimes."

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Later that evening, a weary Aoshi sat cross-legged in the middle of the floor at the temple. His icy eyes, instead of being closed in their normal meditative state, were focused on a small object in his hands. It felt cool to the touch, having been fashioned from delicate silver, and its thin circular shape made it just the perfect size for a human finger. What set it apart from other ordinary rings, however, was the delicate design etched on the inside of the band. It was a design that Shinomori Aoshi recognized instantly. The question was, how had it ended up at the Hideyoshi home in the middle of a murder scene?

Aoshi's disturbing thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the wooden floor. Turning his head slightly, he raised an eyebrow as he tucked the small object back into his sleeve. "Okina," he greeted quietly.

The elderly man sighed, wondering how someone's instincts could be so sharp despite the lack of practice. As he took a seat beside Aoshi on the floor, he gave his former okashira a grim sidelong glance.

"I heard what happened this afternoon," Okina began gravely. "I'm sorry Okina. I know Hideyoshi Shou was a good friend of yours."

Okina's clear eyes grew foggy and distant as memories played through his mind. "Yes, we were very close even before Misao's grandfather became the okashira. It seems so long agoand now he's dead." Okina's voice, which was normally exuberant, ended on a hard note that wasn't lost on his listener.

"Speaking of Misao, how is she?" Aoshi focused his eyes on the far end of the room, refusing to show any outward concern despite his worries.

"Omasu says she refuses to eat and has spent the entire evening holed up in her room. But she's a strong girl, I believe she'll pull through. At least she's not rushing headfirst into danger yet, which I suppose is a good thing. It's quite difficult to keep up with her once she gets an idea into her head."

Aoshi nodded briefly, and after a short pause Okina continued. "Do you have any idea who might have done this?"

"Not yet. But we cannot let this crime go unpunished. The Hideyoshi family has been an essential part of the Oniwabanshu for a countless number of generations, and it is our duty to bring their killers to justice."

"Are you sure you're ready to take on this task?" The older man examined Aoshi's features carefully, searching for even a tiny flicker of emotion, but found none at all. It's like staring into a brick wall thought Okina tiredly.

"I'm fine," spoke up Aoshi in a perfectly calm voice. "Perhaps its time for me to stop contemplating my many sins and start to atone for them."

Okina nodded. "You examined the house after finding the entire family murdered. Do you have any idea who the killer might be?" Aoshi paused before replying, and after a moment's hesitation he reached into his wide sleeves to pull out the ring he had been intensely studying earlier. "Not yet, but perhaps you can begin by telling me everything you know about this. I found it with Hideyoshi Shou's corpse." He dropped the small object into Okina's open palm and waited expectantly for an answer.

Okina blinked as he stared at the shiny object, turning it over with a frown. Holding it up in order to get a closer look, the dim light from the few candles in the room suddenly reflected off the bright metal, and the older man's eyes widened with recognition as he finally noticed the carvings on the inside of the band.

"But how can this be? Nobody is supposed to have one of these except..." His voice trailed off as looked back up at his companion's face in confusion.

"Except me," finished Aoshi succinctly. "Something tells me we're not dealing with an ordinary killer, and I believe the sooner we find him, the better."

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Notes -

Ummm...I don't know if Meiji Japan had signet rings or not but for the purpose of my fic, I'll assume they do. I know ancient China has had seals and stuff for a long time, so I'll assume that this could have spread to Japan also. According to the other people in my medieval Chinese history seminar, this theory seem probable enough *grins* And I never claimed to be historically accurate.

Hmmm...hope this revised version is better than the last. =)

  
  
  



	3. Hidden in Shadows

#  Chapter 3: Hidden in Shadows

  
  
Note: As usual, standard disclaimers apply. All the Rurouni Kenshin characters do not belong to me. They are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Sony, Jump comics, Media Blasters, and all those other people who are responsible for bringing us Rurouni Kenshin. I am merely borrowing them for a short time.  
  
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It was a perfect night for lawlessness. Heavy clouds obscured any light that the moon or stars might have offered, and rain continued to pound relentlessly against the rooftops of the buildings in downtown Kyoto. Streaks of lightning occasionally lit up the otherwise pitch-black night, punctuated by the loud claps of thunder that continued to rumble mercilessly. And in the midst of the storm a lone individual made her way through the deserted Kyoto streets, her features hidden underneath the hood of a cloak that had been pulled down to conceal her face. She continued down the wet streets, her stride never wavering despite the fact that her sandals and tabi were soaked all the way through. Turning into a narrow alley, the figure stopped in front of a small house, and surreptitiously glanced around to make sure there were no followers before rapping on the wooden door. Within seconds the door slid open and the cloaked woman slipped inside, finding a welcome shelter from the storm.

The room she entered was sparsely furnished, the interior lit by a single candle placed upon a low table located in the middle of the floor. Behind the table a young man sat with his legs tucked neatly beneath him, his handsome features slightly obscured by the lack of light in the room. Bright green eyes peered out from behind sandy-colored bangs expectantly as the drenched newcomer gratefully took a seat across from him.

"You're late," he admonished his guest lightly.

"I had to make sure I wasn't followed. You know the others would never allow me to become involved in this whole business - they don't think I have the skills."

The young man shrugged. "Maybe they're just worried about you."

"That doesn't make it any easier, Hiroshi-kun," she countered wryly.

"I suppose not," the man named Hiroshi replied. "And you've never been the type to sit back and let everything pass you by."

Ignoring her companion's good-natured jibe, the woman reached into the folds of her cloak and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. "I want this delivered to Tokyo immediately."

If the request seemed strange to Hiroshi, he gave no outward sign of it. Nodding in assent, he slipped the parchment into the folds of his gi without any further questions. "Anything else?" he asked.

The woman shook her head and stood up to leave. "That's all for now. Just make sure that nobody else finds out I was here tonight." With those final words she slipped through the paper doors as quietly as she had come, disappearing into the rainy night without a backward glance.

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Aoshi stared into the dark moodily, watching the brief flashes of lightning illuminate the wooden panels of the Aoiya's ceiling. Despite the weariness plaguing both body and soul, sleep continued to elude him as he lay unmoving on top of his futon. Minutes had slowly passed, turning into hours, but not even the well-practiced techniques of meditation had managed to court sleep to his side. Apparently insomnia was an enemy that even the greatest ninja could not defeat so easily.

Aoshi sat up with an almost inaudible sigh, pushing the dark bangs away from his eyes with a controlled gesture of frustration. As long as I'm awake, I might as well do something useful, he thought ruefully as he softly padded over to the opposite corner of the room. What better time to examine a crime scene than the middle of the night? There would be no policemen to hinder his search, and it would be a valuable opportunity to look for clues that he might have overlooked before.

Reaching for the dark outfit that hung neatly on the wall, he quickly exchanged his light sleeping yukata for the darker material that made up the uniform of the Oniwabanshu. After a moment's hesitation, Aoshi's eyes turned to the pair of kodachi lying next to his futon, both carefully sheathed in a single scabbard. Without giving himself enough time to ponder the wisdom of his decision, he reached for the weapons and exited the room, sliding the doors shut behind him.

Making his way through the corridor, Aoshi quietly passed Okina's personal study, taking extra care not to make any unnecessary sounds. After reaching the far end of the hallway, he paused for a moment before a door located at the corridor's end. Misao's room. Though he tried not to show it, Aoshi had been greatly worried about her since they had stumbled upon the massacre of the Hideyoshi family a few days earlier. Resisting the urge to slip into her room and check on her the way he had often done when she was a young child, he silently continued on his way, prepared to brave the violent torrents of rain that continued to pour from the skies.

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"Damn," muttered Aoshi under his breath. Closing the lid of the trunk he had been peering into, he stood up and gave the small room one final glance before finally admitting defeat. After meticulously searching the Hideyoshi house from top to bottom, he still had nothing to show for his efforts. There were no new clues, no suspects, not even the slightest trace of evidence that could point towards the killer. Perhaps it was time to head back to the Aoiya and get some sleep, Aoshi thought. He was about to tuck his kodachi away under the folds of his trenchcoat when a muffled sound suddenly reached his ears. The sound was faint and would have been easily dismissed, but Aoshi's instincts told him differently, warning him of impending danger. Lean hands tightened their grip on the sheath of his kodachi and the ninja stealthily slipped back into the shadows just before the paper doors slid open.

Concealing himself behind a tall screen standing in the far corner of the room, Aoshi's eyes narrowed as he observed the figure that had just entered. A hooded cloak concealed the person's identity, but judging from both height and movement, Aoshi quickly concluded that he was dealing with a female. Apparently a skilled female too, for she moved around almost soundlessly, her motions both swift and precise. He watched in silence as she went about the room, carefully inspecting everything with what seemed like an expert eye.

The mysterious woman was approaching the screen when Aoshi took action, swiftly unsheathing his twin blades within the space of seconds. A flash of metal glittered in the moonlight just before both weapons landed conveniently at the stranger's throat, mere centimeters away from a lethal blow. There was no time to react and the woman stilled beneath her attacker's kodachi.

"Who are you?" growled Aoshi without preamble, his authoritative voice demanding an answer.

"Maybe I should be asking you the same question," came the slightly muffled reply from beneath the hood.

"I'll ask you only once more. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The figure remained silent, but there was an air of defiance in her stance. Without any warning she flew into the air, easily evading the kodachi at her throat, and flung out her arm in a wide arc. Flashes of metal headed towards Aoshi, but he easily blocked the attack with his blades, deflecting the small weapons so that they landed on the floor with a thud.

There was no doubt that the weapons were a set of kunai, but Aoshi barely had a moment to consider the ramifications of his discovery. The intruder was escaping. Without further thought he followed in pursuit, easily catching up with his opponent just as she reached the doors. She was fast, but not fast enough for the former Oniwabanshu okashira, and without warning Aoshi gracefully flew into the air. He landed right in front of the fleeing woman, efficiently blocking the only exit from the room. With both kodachi in his hands, Aoshi regarded his opponent with a cool gaze.

"Don't try that again," he ordered. His calm tone revealed no emotion as he slid one of his blades back into its sheath, keeping the second one pointed dangerously close to the woman's chest. Grabbing her arm in a firm grip, Aoshi reached out to tug at the hood hiding her face. The heavy material fell back just as a flash of lightning illuminated the room, clearly revealing angry turquoise eyes and a wealth of dark hair pulled back into a braid.

Aoshi took a deep breath to hide his shock, and only one word managed to escape his lips. "Misao."

Bright eyes blinked up at him in confusion, and the girl suddenly relaxed under his grip. "Aoshi-sama," she murmured just before her body went limp and she collapsed against him in a faint.

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Notes -

1. Ummm...the screen Aoshi is hiding behind is one of those semi-see through things that are often used to divide a room. I just thought that might be worth mentioning =)

2. I had trouble writing Misao in this chapter. I hope she's not too OOC and stuff - and at the end of the chapter where she faints, I know some would say she's not that weak. But chalk it up to shock and being up all night and not eating =)

3. And the scene with Aoshi not being able to sleep...umm that would be due to me and my unusual sleeping habits of late. According to my friends, I'm insane for not being able to sleep at 3 in the morning. Blame my rotten sleeping patterns on physics =)

  
  



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